The tributes of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella to the opponent of the Russian regime triggered the indignation of their adversaries, who referred them to their past collusion with the Putin regime.
Amid the shower of tributes paid by the French political class to Alexeï Navalny, two voices rang false in the ears of some. Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen have in turn paid tribute to the memory of the famous opponent of Vladimir Putin’s Russian regime, who died on Friday February 16 in prison. Very quickly, their political opponents rebelled against these tributes, recalling the past positions taken by the National Rally towards Russia and Navalny.
“I learned of the death of Alexeï Navalny, a political activist committed to defending democracy. To his loved ones and his political family, I send my condolences,” Marine Le Pen soberly wrote, Friday afternoon, on X. “Alexei Navalny died in the Arctic prison where he was serving a 19-year sentence for his opposition to the regime. This is tragic news for all defenders of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” tweeted his dolphin, Jordan Bardella.
“Why don’t you mention the name of his executioner?”
The RN’s opponents were not going to let this opportunity pass to recall the party’s ambiguities on the issue. “Navalny died for opposing your friend Putin,” said Minister of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti on X, adding: “Keep your crocodile tears. You were born before shame.” “Why don’t you mention the name of his executioner?” Deplored the MoDem deputy Bruno Millienne. “His name is Vladimir Putin. You know him well, however, he lent you money,” he quipped, referring to the loan of six million euros taken out by the party from a bank Czech-Russian in 2014.
“How dare you ?” The Minister Delegate for Europe Jean-Noël Barrot in turn protested, before reminding Jordan Bardella that “neither you nor your party voted for the resolutions condemning the persecution to which Alexei Navalny was subject in Russia“. Renaissance MEP Fabienne Keller even listed these resolutions calling for the release of Navalny, voted on in the European Parliament: a first in April 2021, which Jordan Bardella’s group opposed, and two others in February and in April 2023, for which RN MEPs abstained.
“Let’s remember the truth: you have always been on Putin’s side, by interest and by choice, therefore on the side of Navalny’s murderers,” said former Transport Minister Clément Beaune, before concluding: “The minimum decency for the RN on this day, it’s silence.”